With prep trail complete, here are the 20 who have qualified for Kentucky Derby
Saturday’s Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park officially tied a bow on this year’s unusual trail to the unusual Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
With an expected overwhelming favorite this year, the track might not need its 20-horse starting gate, but here’s a look at the 19 colts and one filly who have enough points to be in the field, plus a couple who are next in line should there be opt outs before entries are submitted.
1. Tiz the Law: Trainer Barclay Tagg won the 2003 Kentucky Derby with Funny Cide. Now the 82-year-old has the clear favorite in Tiz the Law, who is 4-for-4 this year with wins in the Holy Bull, Florida Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers. Manuel Franco is the jockey for Sackatoga Stable.
2. Authentic: Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby five times — 1997, 1998, 2002, 2015 and 2018. Authentic is 3-for-4 this year with wins in the Sham, San Felipe and Haskell. He was second to Honor A. P. in the Santa Anita Derby. Mike Smith is the jockey.
3. Art Collector: The late-developing colt is coming off wins in the Blue Grass Stakes and Ellis Park Derby for trainer Tom Drury. Like Tiz the Law, he’s 4-for-4 this year. Brian Hernandez Jr. is the jockey for owner Bruce Lunsford.
4. Honor A. P.: Trained by John Shirreffs, Honor A. P. is just 1-for-3 this year, but that win was the Santa Anita Derby on June 6. He ran a surprising second to Thousand Words in the Shared Belief last time out on Aug. 1. He was second to Authentic in the San Felipe. Mike Smith has been the jockey, so will have to make a choice before Derby day.
5. Ny Traffic: Trained by Saffie Joseph, the son of Cross Traffic is coming off runner-up finishes in the Louisiana Derby, Matt Winn Stakes and Haskell. Paco Lopez is the jockey.
6. King Guillermo: Trainer Juan Carlos Avila will have a well-rested colt on Sept. 5. King Guillermo hasn’t raced since finishing second in the Arkansas Derby on May 2. He won the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7. Only two races this year. Samy Camacho is the jockey for owner and former MLB catcher Victor Hernandez.
7. Thousand Words: Also trained by Baffert, Thousand Words is fresh off his upset win in the Shared Belief on Aug. 1 at Del Mar. Before that, he was second in the Los Alamitos Derby and 11th in the Oaklawn Stakes. Abel Cedillo is the jockey.
8. Dr Post: Trained by Todd Pletcher, Dr Post was second in the Belmont before running third in the Haskell on July 18. A late bloomer, he broke his maiden on March 29 before winning the Unbridled Stakes on April 25. Joe Bravo is the jockey for St. Elias Stable.
9. Max Player: Owners George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds have moved Max Player from trainer Linda Rice to Steve Asmussen’s barn. Max Player won the Withers back on Feb. 1, but since then has finished third in the Belmont and third in the Travers. Joel Rosario is the jockey.
10. Caracaro: Trained by Gustavo Delgado and ridden by Javier Castellano, Caracaro is coming off second-place finishes in both the Peter Pan (July 16) and the Travers (Aug. 8). Ridden by Javier Castellano, Caracaro didn’t break his maiden until Jan. 11 of this year.
11. Pneumatic: Trained by Steve Asmussen, Penumatic is coming off a win the Pegasus at Monmouth Park on Aug. 15. He ran fourth in the Belmont and third in the Matt Winn Stakes. Ridden by Joe Bravo, Pneumatic did not break his maiden until Feb. 15 this year. Penumatic is more likely to point toward the Oct. 3 Preakness.
12. Enforceable: Trained by Mark Casse, Enforceable has not raced since finishing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes on July 11. After winning the Lecomte at Fair Grounds on Jan. 18, Enforceable has finished second in the Risen Star, fifth in the Louisiana Derby and fourth in the Blue Grass. Joel Rosario has been his jockey.
13. Swiss Skydiver: Trainer Kenny McPeek’s star filly qualified for the Kentucky Derby by running second in the Blue Grass, but is more likely to run in the Kentucky Oaks. Swiss Skydiver won the Alabama Stakes last Saturday at Saratoga. She has also won the Gulfstream Parks Oaks, Fantasy Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks this year.
14 Rushie: Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rushie ran third in the Blue Grass Stakes last time out. He did not break his maiden until Feb. 1 of this year. Rushie was also third in the Santa Anita Derby. Javier Castellano has been his jockey.
15. Major Fed: Trained by Greg Foley, Major Fed ran second to Shared Sense in the Indiana Derby on July 8 in his last start. He was second in the Risen Star, but finished fourth in the Louisiana Derby and 10th int he Matt Winn Stakes. James Graham is the jockey on Major Fed.
16. Storm the Court: The winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile has had a tough 2020. Trained by Peter Eurton, Storm the Court has finished fourth in the San Vicente, third in the San Felipe, sixth in his division of the Arkansas Derby, third in the Ohio Derby and second in the La Jolla Handicap. Flavien Prat is the jockey.
17. Attachment Rate: Trained by Dale Romans, Attachment Rate has just one win in seven starts this year. He finished second to Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby. He was fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes and fourth in the Matt Winn Stakes. Attachment Rate is ridden by Joseph Talamo.
18. Sole Volante: Trained by Patrick Biancone, Sole Valente won the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 8, but has faded since. He was second in the Tampa Bay Derby, won an allowance race at Gulfstream, but then ran sixth in the Belmont. Luca Panici is his jockey.
19. Finnick the Fierce: Trained by Rey Hernandez, Finnick the Fierce was seventh in the Blue Grass Stakes on July 11 and has not raced since. He was third in his division of the Arkansas Derby. Jose Ortiz is his jockey.
20. Winning Impression: A gelding trained by Dallas Stewart, Winning Impression was seventh in the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9. He did finish third in his division of the Arkansas Derby on May 2, but followed that with a seventh-place finish in the Indiana Derby Joseph Rocco is the jockey.
21. Jesus’ Team: Trained by Jose Francisco D’Angelo, Jesus’ Team ran second in the Pegasus on Saturday after a fourth-place finish in the Haskell on July 18. He won a claiming race at Gulfstream on May 8. Paco Lopez is his jockey.
22. Necker Island: Trained by Chris Hartman, Necker Island has not won any of his seven starts this year. He did run third in both the Indiana Derby and Ellis Park Derby. He was fifth in the Matt Winn Stakes. Mitchell Murrill is his jockey.
This story was originally published August 17, 2020 at 12:08 PM.
